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Architecture

2023

Photographer : Aswin Yegappan SP, Ramya Prasad

Latchya illam, is a sustainable house built on a family heritage land with a part consisting of an old parent’s house, which has been there for generations with lots of childhood memories for the clients. The house is located in a dense urban fabric of row houses in the city of Pondicherry.

The site has road access on both east and west side and sandwiched between adjacent row houses on the North and the South side. The design is done to achieve natural ventilation and lighting to all parts of the house to give the user a healthy living environment. To achieve this series of courtyards have been created and which also gives a traditional look to the house as well.

The main house entrance is from the East, we have retained the existing old house with some renovation. This keeps the nostalgia when we enter the house. From the old house there is a Courtyard which connects the new part and the old part of the house seamlessly, making it into a one single house.

The first room in the old house has been converted into a foyer with a puja space. The old madras roof has been renovated and preserved. This welcoming space with old memories acts as a showcasing area of the awards and achievements of the clients - art family. This space leads to a small room which was part of the old house, now at present used as grandpa's room. A narrow passage with tall ceiling, next to this room, leads to the new house and opens up into the courtyard and the living area. There is a common toilet introduced near to the courtyard.

The main central courtyard lets in good defused natural light from the top and also help in passive cooling of the entire house, as in the row houses, this is main ventilation area.

This open courtyard extended into the living area and to the semi-open kitchen area. From living, we have the door to the utility which connects to the rear side staircase to the terrace and east side road entrance gate.

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Architects	:	RP Architects
Area	:	1906 sq. ft.
Year	:	2023
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/rp.architects/?hl=en

Courtyard of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

TV Unit of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

Kitchen of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

Staircase of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

From the central courtyard, we reach the first floor. The first floor connecting passage from the staircase, connects the old house room – present master bedroom on the west and the daughter’s bedroom and store on the east side. The old house room – present master bedroom, which has been renovated with a light weight puff insulation roof with CSEB elevation wall and oxide floor, to have minimal renovation as possible.

The daughter’s bedroom is built with a large French window on north and a window opening into the central courtyard and one window opening into the rear side. This gives maximum natural cross ventilation and good defused lighting through-out the year. A store room next to this room is built to store all the art works and items of the art family.

Staircase of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

Skylight of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

Courtyard view from staircase of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

The terrace area has the central courtyard’s raised openings. The rest of the terrace is finished with cool roof tiles and will be used as a classroom for art students in the future. As the entire family is very much involved in art works and painting, right from the concept stage, importance was given for places where we can display their art works throughout the house to give living gallery ambiance. There was an old well in the rear side of the house, which was converted into rain water harvesting well. The entire rain water falling in the plot area, is channeled into this well.

Corridor of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

Bedroom of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

Study area of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

Exterior view of Latchiya Illam by RP Architects

The house has all energy efficient lighting and BLDC fans system. Natural stone flooring and wherever needed Compressed stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEB) are used to cut off the external heat and add beauty to the house. Natural stone flooring and Oxide flooring are added. Solar panel installing facilities are also provided for future needs.

The doors and windows are constructed with 100% reclaimed Kalimaruthu wood from old house rafters. Reducing further the environmental impact due to construction industry. As a whole the house is blend of heritage memories with new sustainable techniques to achieve a healthy peaceful environment for the clients.